Street and station indicator.



A. T. GOODMAN & 'H. R. EATON.

STREET AND STATION INDICATOR.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 3. 1916.

Patented July 17, 1917.

4 SHEETSSHEET I.

A. T. GO0DMAN'& H. H. EATON.

' STREET AND STATION INDICATOR.

APPLICATION man OCT. 3. 191a.

Patented July 17, 1917.

4 SHEETSQSHEET 2.

A. T. GOODMAN &-H. R. EATON.

STREET AND STATION INDICATOR.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 3 I916- 4 Patented July .17, 1917.

4 SHEETS-SHEE T a.

. we I I N III I I%\ {l nf I A. T. GOODMAN & H. ,R. EATON.

STREET AND STATION INDICATOR.

APPLICATION nuzo OCT. 3, 1916. T I H 1 1 w 1 Patented July 17, 1917.

T 4 SHEETSSHEET 4 5 WWW.

f I T ill j:

. l v i rip.

ALONZO T. GOODMAN AND HOWARD a. EATON, or KILL BUCK, new YORK.

STREET AND STATION INDICATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 17, 1917.

Application filed October 3, 1916. Serial No. 123,554.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ALoNgo T. GOODMAN and HOWARD R. EATON, citizens of the United States, residing at Kill Buck, in the county of Cattaraugu's and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Street and Station Indicators, of which the following is a specification. V V

This invention is an improved street and station indicator for use in railway carsand the like and by means of which the motorman or conductor can readily display the names of the streets and the stations on a road as the same are approached.

One object of the invention is to effect improvements in the constructions of the means for actuating the indicating mecha nism.

Another object is to effect improvements in the construction of the indicating mechanism.

Another object is to effect improvements in the construction of the brake mechanism which prevents casual'movement of the indicating mechanism.

The invention consists in the features of construction, combination, and arrangement.

' ranged in accordance with our invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of thesame.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional View of the same.

Fig. lis a detail elevation of the side opposite that shown in Fig. 1 and showing the brake mechanism.

Figs. and 6 are detail views.

Fig. 7 is a detailed end elevation of the actuating eccentric and its connections.

In the embodiment of our invention, we provide a frame 1 which is preferably made of angle iron and which is arranged in and serves to brace and strengthen a casing 2 which is preferably made of sheet metal. The casing has a display opening 3 at one side. A pair of shafts 4 are arranged in spaced relation and are mounted for rotation in bearings 5 which are secured on cross bars 6 of the frame. A pair of reels 7 are secured in spaced relation on each shaft 4 by means of setscrews 8. An operating shaft9is mounted in bearings 10 which are secured on cross bars 11 of the frame and the said shaft is provided with sprocket wheels 12 which are arranged in line with the reels. Sprocket chains 13 engage the sprocket wheels. and have their ends connected to the reels so that when the shafts are revolved in either direction, the sprocket chains will be wound up on the reels of one shaft and unwound from the reels of the other shaft as will be understood. Reverscly coiled springs 14 are also provided, each of which has one end connected to the frame as at 15 and the other end connected at one of the shafts 4: as at 16. As each shaft rotates in the direction to unreel the sprocket chains, the spring connected to said shaftwill be wound up and hence the spring will serve to rotate said shaft in the reverse direction, when the driving shaft 9 is correspondingly rotated by the step by step mechanism hereinafter described.

Alternate links of the sprocket chains are connected together by carrier slides 17, the said carrier slides having narrowed tongues 18 at their ends which are bent around the inner sides of the links. The said carrier slides are also provided with inturnedfianges l9 which overhang their outer surfaces at the sides and serve to retain the sign strips 20.

in place on the carrier slides. Each sign strip is inscribed with the name of a street or station on the road and the said sign strips are arranged in regular order and thereby adapted to be successively moved to a point opposite the opening 3 throughsaid opening as the ear proceeds.

One end of the shaft 9 projects beyond oneslde of the casing and is provided with a ratchet wheel 21 having peripheral notches 22 which correspond in number with the notches of the sprocket wheel 12. A pair of oscillating links 23 are pivotally mounted on the shaft 9 and carry a double ended reversible pawl 24 which is pivotally mounted between said links as at 25 and either end of which may be engaged with the notches of the wheel 21. The said links 23 are operated by a pitman 26 which is pivotally and adjustably' connected to a reciprocating bar 27 by a bolt 28 which engages a slot 29 in said bar. The bar is mounted for sliding movement in guides 30 and has a curved end 31 which is pivotally connected as at 32 to a bar or rod 33 which is mounted in a hanger 34, said hanger being pivotally supported as and displayed at 35'. The rod 31 may be of any suitable length and caused to extend to any desired portion of the car. The bar 83 is pivotally connected as at 36 to an eccentric strap 37 which operates on an eccentric 38. The shaft 39 0f said eccentric is mounted in bearings street signs to be displayed successively through the opening 3 as the car proceeds.

To prevent reverse rotation of the ratchet wheel 21, while the car is proceeding in I either direction, we provide a double ended as at 44 in a support 45 and has a stop stud the car.

detent pawl 43 which is pivotally mounted 46 which operates in a segmental slot 47 with which the support is provided. Hence the detent pawl may be turned to engage either end with the ratchet wheel 2l-according to the direction in which it is desired said ratchet wheel is to rotate and to correspond with the direction of movement of Springs 48 are provided to engage the detent pawl with'said ratchet wheel 21.

In order to prevent casual turning movement of the shaft 9, said shaft is provided with a brake wheel 50, the periphery of which is engaged by a brake band 51. One end of said band is connected as at 52 to an adjusting screw 53 which is movable through openings in a pair of lugs 54 on a support 55 and is engaged by an adjusting nut 56 which is arranged between said lugs. The other end of the brake band is attached to one end of a tensioning spring 57, the other end ofthe spring being attached as at 58 to said support 55. It will be understood that Copies of this patent may be obtained for the tension of the brake band on the brake wheel may be varied as required by adjusting the screw 53.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, the advantages of construction and of the method of operation will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention relates, and while we have described the principles of operation of the device together with the device which we now consider to be the best embodiment thereof, we desire to have it understood that the device shown is merely illustrative and that such changes may be made when desired as are within the scope of the appended claim.

Having described the invention, what is claimed is In a machine of the class described, a pair of shafts arranged in parallel relation and mounted in fixed bearings, each shaft having a reel thereon, counter-acting springs attached to the respective shafts and arranged to rotate the same and the reels in reverse directions, a pair of chains attached to and connecting the reels of the respective shafts, carrier devices connecting the chains, sign strips on the carrier devices, a third shaft parallel with the first-named shafts and provided with sprocket wheels engaged by said chains, a ratchet wheel on the third shaft, an oscillating link pivotally mounted on the third shaft, a double ended reverse pawl on said link and arranged to engage the ratchet wheel and means to impart oscillating movement to said link and thereby impart step by step rotation to the said third shaft and the sprocket wheels and cause said chains to unwind from' the reel of one of the first-named shafts and to wind on the reel of the other first-named shaft.

In testimony whereof'we aflix our signatures.

ALONZO T. GOODMAN. HOWARD R. EATON.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

